Graphical element color diffusion techniques

ABSTRACT

Rich color diffusion techniques applied to text as part of digital content creation by a graphics rendering application of a computing device are described. The graphics rendering application is configured to receive color location data and color identification data with respect to a graphical element, diffuse colors within the boundary of the graphical element based on the color location data, color identification data, and a mesh generation algorithm, and automatically replicate the diffused color pattern onto subsequently selected graphical elements. Techniques are also described that facilitate storing a plurality of graphical element properties associated each of the graphical elements and changing one or more of the stored properties before, during, and after color diffusion of the graphical elements.

BACKGROUND

Graphics rendering applications as executed by a computing deviceinclude a variety of color application tools. These tools supportcontent creator interaction, via a user interface, to apply colors todigital content such as digital images, vector graphics, text, andvarious path objects. Examples of such tools include the fill color andstroke color tools, each of which applies colors to shapes in digitalcontent in specific ways. The fill color tool applies colors within theborders of shapes, while the stoke color tool applies colors on or alongshape borders.

In addition, graphics rendering applications include color applicationtools having additional complexity, such as axial (i.e. linear) orradial color gradients, which enable content creators to apply colors inunique and creative ways. Color gradients are typically accessed viagradient panels included in graphics rendering applications. Thesepanels include a range of colors with a series of markers placed atselect locations along the range, with each marker indicating a colorchange. Additionally, the area between the markers contains color rangesincluding darker and lighter shades of colors in predefined gradations.

Users may select a color gradient from this range (i.e. color spectrum)and apply it “axially” or “radially” to various shapes in digitalcontent to achieve a color diffused effect. An axial color gradient isapplied to colors at two specified points. A radial gradient is used toapply one or more colors at the center of a circle and another color atthe circle's edge, thereby creating an appearance of the center colorprogressing radially outward in the direction of the circle's edge.These tools, however, limit user creativity and are inefficient becausethese tools do not allow for the application of colors to digitalcontent based on the content's topology or shape, such as text.

SUMMARY

A digital coloring tool is described that is configured forimplementation via a computing device to create graphical elements(e.g., text) to have a rich color diffused appearance. The digitalcoloring tool as implemented by the computing device as described hereinis configured to receive data specifying a location selected within aboundary of a graphical element such as text and a color to be appliedto the selected location. Thereafter, the coloring tool is implementedby the computing device to generate vertices at predefined areas withinthe boundary of the text based on the selected location and apply theselected color at these vertices according to a color weightingcalculation. Additional colors may also be applied to vertices createdbased on the selection of one or more additional locations within theboundary of the text. In sum, the application of one or more colors tothe vertices created by the selection of one or more locations withinthe text creates a color diffused appearance. The coloring tooldescribed herein also enables content creators to change a plurality oftext character properties before and after the color diffusion of text.As such, the text remains “live” as supporting additional modifications.Moreover, the color diffused appearance of text and changes to one ormore of the text properties may be automatically applied to otherselected text and thus is repeatable, thereby increasing user andcomputational efficiency. In this way, the digital coloring tooldescribed herein overcomes the limitations of conventional techniques,which cannot create graphical elements such as text with a rich colordiffused appearance.

This Summary introduces a selection of concepts in a simplified formthat are further described below in the Detailed Description. As such,this Summary is not intended to identify essential features of theclaimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid indetermining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed incolor. Copies of this patent or patent application publication withcolor drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and paymentof the necessary fee. The detailed description is described withreference to the accompanying figures. Entities represented in thefigures may be indicative of one or more entities and thus reference maybe made interchangeably to single or plural forms of the entities in thediscussion.

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a graphical element rendering environmentin an example implementation that is operable to create graphicalelements such as text to have a rich color diffused appearance.

FIG. 2 depicts an example implementation of a graphical elementdiffusion system showing operation of a graphical element input module,color input module, mesh generation module, color generation module, anda color diffusion replication module in greater detail to support richcolor diffusion techniques.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram depicting a procedure in an exampleimplementation of diffusing colors within text in a graphical elementrendering environment.

FIG. 4 depicts an example of a user inputting text with the use of thegraphical element input module in a graphical element renderingenvironment.

FIG. 5A depicts a graphical element diffusion system in an exampleimplementation showing operation of a color input module thatidentifies, based on receiving user input, color location data and coloridentification data within the boundary of text and a color generationmodule that diffuses colors within the text boundary based on the colorlocation data and color identification data.

FIGS. 5B & 5C further depict example implementations of color diffusionat multiple locations within the graphical element with the use of thecolor input module and the color generation module.

FIG. 6 depicts an example implementation of the generation of a meshwithin the boundary of the graphical element with the use of the meshgeneration module.

FIG. 7 depicts an example implementation of the diffusion, automaticallyand without user intervention, of colors in subsequently selectedgraphical element.

FIG. 8 depicts an example implementation in which color is not diffusedon a location outside of a graphical element boundary.

FIG. 9 depicts an example implementation of a graphical elementdiffusion system in which a storing module stores a plurality ofgraphical elements properties including font family, font size, andbaseline, each of which may be changed by the user with the use of thegraphical element input module.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram depicting a procedure in an exampleimplementation of color diffusion of text in a graphical elementrendering environment, changing at least one stored text propertyassociated with color diffused text, and rendering subsequently selectedtext with both the diffused colors and the changed text property.

FIG. 11 depicts an example implementation in which a color diffusionreplication module, automatically and without user input, diffuses colorto text subsequently input by the user.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example of digital content designed with the useof compound paths, which is a feature available in a variety of digitalrendering applications.

FIG. 13 depicts a graphical representation of steps needed to calculatethe Steiner Point of a Triangle.

FIG. 14 depicts a graphical representation of the Delaunay Triangulationalgorithm implemented on Triangles ABC, DBC, GEF, and HEF.

FIG. 15 illustrates an example system including various components of anexample device that can be implemented as any type of computing deviceas described and/or utilized with references to FIGS. 1-14 to implementembodiments of the techniques described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Overview

One of the challenges in digital content creation by a graphicsrendering application is diffusing various digital content shapes withcolors or color combinations to give the shapes a richly coloredappearance. Conventional color diffusion techniques, however, areineffective because these techniques are not capable of addressing atopography that is specific to various compound shapes in digitalcontent. As such, conventional techniques significantly limit the typeof shapes that support diffusion of intricate color combinations,thereby hindering the ability of users to create richly colored digitalcontent with the use of a computing device, especially for graphicalelements such as text. The inability of users to create such content isboth user and computationally inefficient.

Accordingly, a graphics rendering application is described that isconfigured to support color diffusion techniques that are applicable tographical elements such as text by addressing a topography within aboundary of the graphical elements. In one example, a color input moduleof the graphics rendering application receives user inputs specifying alocation within a boundary of a graphical element and a color to bediffused from that location. From this, a mesh having a plurality ofnodes is generated by a mesh generation module of the graphics renderingapplication. The plurality of nodes are weighted by a color generationmodule of the graphics rendering application to diffuse color from thespecified location within the boundary of the graphical element.Specifically, the color generation module applies one or more colors toselect portions (i.e. vertices) of the mesh according to a colorweighting calculation. The resulting effect is a graphical element witha rich color diffused appearance that addresses the topology of thegraphical element and thus is applicable to items such as text that arenot supported by conventional techniques.

Furthermore, the color diffused appearance of a graphical element isrepeatable, automatically and without user intervention, by the graphicsrendering application onto subsequently selected graphical elements. Thereplication process may involve a variety of mapping methodologies,which trace and store color location data identifying one or morelocations within the boundary of the graphical element where one or morecolors are diffused, and map these locations onto the outline ofsubsequently selected graphical elements. These newly mapped locationsare then diffused with one or more colors. As a result, subsequentlyselected graphical elements have a color diffused appearance similar oridentical to the originally diffused element, and thus support avisually consistent appearance across multiple graphical elements. Oneadvantage of these mapping methodologies is that because the replicationis automatic and occurs in real time by the graphics renderingapplication, users are saved from being forced to manually identifycolor location data and color identification repeatedly for each of thesubsequently selected graphical elements. Consequently, operatingefficiency of the computing device is improved and the time needed tocreate digital content with a rich color diffused appearance is reduced.

In another example, the graphics rendering application described hereinalso supports a change in properties associated with graphical elementsbefore and after color diffusion, and thus supports “live” graphicalelements. These properties may relate to a variety of different ways inwhich the appearance of graphical elements may be altered. This resultis a significant increase in users' ability to render digital contentwith a detailed and customized appearance. Another advantage of thegraphics rendering application described herein is that users can applyrich color diffused appearance in a precise manner to a larger range ofdigital content shapes, providing creative flexibility in digitalcontent creation. Further, the graphical elements rendered by thegraphics rendering application are compatible with a variety ofstandards. Specifically, Portable Document Format (PDF) and Illustratorrenders the graphical elements as a native construct, while otherformats render the graphical elements as a raster image.

In the following discussion, an example environment is described thatmay employ the techniques described herein. Example procedures are alsodescribed which may be performed in the example environment as well asother environments. Consequently, performance of the example proceduresis not limited to the example environment and the example environment isnot limited to performance of the example procedures.

Example Environment

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a graphical element rendering environment100 in an example implementation that is operable to create graphicalelements with rich color diffused appearances. The illustratedenvironment 100 includes a computing device 102, which may be configuredin a variety of ways.

The computing device 102, for instance, may be configured as a desktop,computer, a laptop computer, a mobile device (e.g. assuming a handheldconfiguration such as a tablet or mobile phone as illustrated), and soforth. Thus, the computing device 102 may range from full resourcedevices with substantial memory and processor resources (e.g. personalcomputers, game consoles) to a low-resource device with limited memoryand/or processing resources (e.g. mobile devices). Additionally,although a single computing device 102 is shown, the computing device102 may be representative of a plurality of different devices, such asmultiple servers utilized by a business to perform operations “over thecloud” as described in FIG. 15.

The computing device 102 is illustrated as including a graphicsrendering application 104. The graphics rendering application 104 isimplemented at least partially in hardware of the computing device 102to diffuse graphical elements 106 with complex color combinations, whichis illustrated as maintained in a storage device 108 of computing device102. The diffused graphical elements 106 are accessible via userinterface 110, e.g. by a display device 112 and/or stored in the storagedevice 108. Although illustrated as implemented locally at the computingdevice 102, functionality of the graphics editing application 104 mayalso be implemented in whole or in part through the functionalityavailable via network 118, such as part of a web service or “in thecloud.”

Graphical elements 106 may include a myriad of digital content withshapes and topologies designed with or including compound paths, e.g.text 116. A compound path is a feature that has found widespread use indigital rendering applications to design digital content with complexshapes. A compound path includes two or more paths associated with adigital content's shape such that a hollow space may appear where thesepaths overlap. Digital content designed with a compound path includesthe paint and style attributes of the “backmost” layer or surfacepresent in the digital content stacking hierarchy.

For instance, to create digital content with a donut shape, as depictedin FIG. 12, two concentric circles of varying radii may be designed suchthat the circle with the smaller radius overlays a portion of the largercircle. The compound path feature can then be used to create a hollowspace with the shape properties of the smaller circle on the spacepreviously occupied by the smaller circle, as depicted in FIG. 12. Thishollow space may then be edited in a variety of ways, including definingthe space with the paint and style attributes of an underlying layer ofthe digital content. In effect, the properties of the underlying orbottommost layer (e.g. typically a background or grid) appears adjacentto a portion of the circle with the larger radius, thereby creating adonut shape, as depicted in FIG. 12. Common digital content with shapesdesigned by compound paths include text, which are examples of graphicalelements 106 depicted in FIG. 1. Text may be defined using a variety ofstandards including Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), Portable DocumentFormat (PDF), Encapsulated PostScript (EPS), Windows Metafile (WMF),Vector Markup Language (VML), and so forth.

As stated above, convention techniques do not support color diffusionwithin text and other graphical elements (i.e. digital content) becausethese techniques are not capable of addressing a topology and shape ofthe graphical elements. Accordingly, the graphical rendering application104 addresses these and other challenges through use of a graphicalelement diffusion system 114. The graphical element diffusion system 114is configured to identify color location data and color identificationdata associated with a graphical element as specified by a user, e.g.,using point handle and curve handle features. From this, the graphicalelement diffusion system 114 is configured to generate a mesh structurewithin graphical element boundaries based on a triangulation algorithm,and as such, address a shape of a boundary of the graphical element aswell as a topology within the graphical element. From this, thegraphical element diffusion system 114 is configured to apply one ormore colors to select portions of the mesh structure in accordance witha color weighting calculation. Consequently, compound path shapes indigital content may be effectively diffused with intricate colorcombinations, which is not possible using conventional techniques.

In general, functionality, features, and concepts described in relationto the examples above and below may be employed in the context of theexample procedures described in this section. Further, functionality,features, and concepts described in relation to different figures andexamples in this document may be interchanged among one another and arenot limited to implementation in the context of a particular figure orprocedure. Moreover, blocks associated with different representativeprocedures and corresponding figures herein may be applied togetherand/or combined in different ways. Thus, individual functionality,features, and concepts described in relation to different exampleenvironments, devices, components, figures, and procedures herein may beused in any suitable combinations and are not limited to the particularcombinations represented by the enumerated examples in this description.

Graphical Element Color Diffusion

FIG. 2 depicts a system 200 in an example implementation in whichoperation of the graphical element diffusion system 114 is shown ingreater detail. FIG. 3 depicts a procedure 300 in an exampleimplementation of graphical element color diffusion techniques describedherein. The following discussion describes techniques that may beimplemented utilizing the described systems and devices.

The following discussion describes techniques that may be implementedutilizing the described systems and devices. Aspects of the proceduremay be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or a combinationthereof. The procedure is shown as a set of blocks that specifyoperations performed by one or more devices and are not necessarilylimited to the orders shown for performing the operations by therespective blocks. In the following discussion, reference is madeinterchangeably to FIGS. 2-14.

Graphical element diffusion system 114, as depicted in detail in FIG. 2,is configured to address the challenges of conventional techniques bysupporting diffusion of one or more graphical elements with intricatecolor combinations. The illustrated example of the graphical elementdiffusion system 114 includes a graphical element input module 202, viawhich, user input is received. The received user input causes selectionof graphical element 204, e.g. text “A,” which appears on a portion ofdisplay device 112. Graphical element 204 is depicted in exampleimplementation 400 of FIG. 4. Although text is illustrated as anexample, graphical element 204 may take many forms, including shapes indigital content that contain compound paths.

After selection, graphical element 204 is passed to color input module206. The color input module 206 receives a user input 210, via a user'sinteraction with user interface 208. Color input module 206 isconfigured to, based on user input 210, identify first color locationdata identifying a first location with respect to a first graphicalelement and first color identification data associating a first colorwith the first location (block 302). The color location andidentification data are then passed from the color input module to meshgeneration module 220.

FIG. 5A depicts example implementation 500 of a user's interaction withcolor input module 206 via user interface 208, depicted in FIG. 2, togenerate color location data 212 and color identification data 214.Example implementation 500 is illustrated, in part, using first, secondand third stages 502, 504, and 506. At the first stage 502, a graphicalelement as a text character “A” and a menu 518 are illustrated. A userinput 210 is received via a cursor control device, gestures, and soforth to first specify a location within a boundary of a graphicalelement, e.g., the text letter “A.” The user input 210, for instance,may employ a point handle feature 216 or a curve handle feature 218,either of which may be chosen from an interactive toolbar displayed onuser interface 208. The point handle feature may be represented by acursor shaped like a small arrow that is movable across user interface208. After selecting the point handle, e.g. a toolbar, the user movesthe arrow shaped cursor over the graphical element and selects a firstlocation 520 within the boundary of the graphical element by clicking ona portion of the element. The identified first location 520 is depictedin the form of a small circle on the bottom-left portion of graphicalelement 516 “A.”

At the second stage 504, color identification data 214 is generated bythe color input module 206. To do so, user input 210 is received bycolor input module 206 to select a color from an interactive colorspectrum menu 518 using a color selection tool, e.g., an eyedroppertool. Specifically, a user may select a color by moving the eyedroppertool over the interactive color spectrum menu 518 and “clicking” on aportion of the menu, e.g., through use of a cursor control device. Theclicking action completes selection of a color for application to thefirst location 520 identified within the graphical element boundary atfirst stage 502. This process may be repeated at various locationswithin the graphical element. An example of this repetition isillustrated at third stage 506 of FIG. 5A, in which second location 524and second color 526 are selected in a manner described above. In thisway, color location data 212 and color identification data 214 areidentified and generated by the color input module 206. This data isthen passed to mesh generation module 220.

FIG. 6 depicts an example implementation 600 in which mesh generationmodule 222 generates a mesh in a graphical element based at least inpart on a boundary of the graphical element and/or the locationsincluded in the color location data 212. In this example, vertices 602,604, 606, 608, and 610 are identified by mesh generation module 220based in part on color location data 212 of the graphical element asspecified by a user as further described below. In one example, colorlocation data is transformed and stored by mesh generation module 220 asSteiner points in a storage device (e.g., memory) of computing device102. Steiner points are configured to determine a shortest connectingnetwork associated with a set of points in a plane—in effect, finding asingle point from which the sum of distances to all points of a givenset are minimal.

FIG. 13 depicts an example calculation of Steiner point “S” of atriangle shape “TUV,” identified 1302. The first step in thiscalculation by mesh generation module 220 includes drawing a circleconnecting each of the vertices of the triangle “TUV.” Next, a Symmedianpoint “W” within the triangle is calculated by the mesh generationmodule 220. The Symmedian point is the intersection of geometric linesthat are calculated and drawn by the mesh generation module 220 byreflecting a line connecting each vertex of the triangle TUV with themidpoint of the side directly opposite the vertex (i.e. a trianglemedian) and tracing the intersection point of the reflected lines.Thereafter, another circle is calculated having a diameter that is astraight line drawn from the center point O to the Symmedian point W,and then a smaller triangle XYZ is drawn by the module. Finally, linesparallel to sides XY, YZ, and XZ of the smaller triangle XYZ are drawnby the mesh generation module 220 as originating from the vertices ofthe larger triangle TUV. The intersection point of these parallel linesis the Steiner point of Triangle TUV—labeled “S” in FIG. 13, identified1302.

The stored Steiner points of the color location data within thegraphical element boundary is then used by the mesh generation module220 to generate mesh 222 based on a triangulation algorithm, an exampleof which includes Delaunay Triangulation as depicted in FIG. 14. ADelaunay triangulation of a set of points in a two-dimensional spaceensures that none of the circles that circumscribe the triangles createdfrom these set of points has a point or vertex that falls within theperimeter of the circles. As illustrated, the circle circumscribingtriangle “ABC” does not contain any vertices or points in its interior.Similarly, the circle circumscribing triangle HEF also does not containany vertices or points in its interior. This technique facilitateseffective connection of points that are adjacent to one another on aplane, thereby increasing the interpolation accuracy of scattered data.Delaunay Triangulation, implemented on Steiner point conversions of thecolor location data associated with a graphical element by the meshgeneration module 220, results in the mesh 222 (e.g., as a trianglemesh) with vertices 602, 604, 606, 608, and 610 at user-specifiedlocations in the graphical element. In this way, scattered data createdby Steiner point conversions of color location data associated with thegraphical element are accurately interpolated to form mesh 222, and thusaddresses a topology of the graphical element.

After generation of the mesh 222 by mesh generation module 220, colorgeneration module 224 is employed to diffuse colors within the graphicalelement at select portions of the mesh 222 (block 304) based on a colorweighting calculation. Specifically, one or more colors are diffused bycolor generation module 224 at the vertices of the mesh 222 based on thecolor weighting calculation such that weights used to specify an amountof color decrease as a distance from the user-specified locationsincreases.

Returning now to FIGS. 5A-5C, having generated the mesh 222, the colordiffusion techniques may continue to support real time output ofadditional colors as diffused within a boundary of the graphicalelement. As previously described, FIG. 5A is illustrated using first,second, and third stages 502, 504, and 506. Likewise, FIG. 5B isillustrated using fourth, fifth, and sixth stages 508, 510, and 512, andFIG. 5C is illustrated as including a seventh stage 514. At the secondstage 504, color generation module 224 applies first color 506 (yellowin the illustrated instance) equally within graphical element 516 at anidentified first location 520. This causes the color generation module224 to diffuse graphical element 516 initially with a uniform yellowcolor. Thereafter, at the third stage 506, a second location 516 andsecond color selection 518 are received, which is green in this example.In response the color generation module 224 generates diffused colordata 226 based on the first location 508 and corresponding color 512 andthe second location 516 and corresponding color 518, which is thenrendered by the computing device 102. The result is that graphicalelement 516 appears diffused with a fusion of yellow and green colorssuch that both colors appear in varying gradations across the element.

The highest concentration of yellow appears closest to first location520 and the highest concentration of green appears closest to secondlocation 524. The varying gradations with which the yellow and greencolors appear within graphical element 516, e.g. “A,” are a result ofthe diffusion, by the color generation module 224, of colors at selectvertices of the mesh 222 according to a color weighting calculation.Mesh 222 is generated based on locations 520 and 524. The colorweighting calculation may be implemented in a variety of ways, examplesof which include Harmonic, Biharmonic, or Triharmonic techniques.

This process may continue, with color diffusion occurring in real timebased on subsequent inputs that specify a location within a graphicalelement and corresponding color to be applied to the specified location.At fourth stage 508, a third location 528 is specified with respect tothe graphical element 516, and color 526, which was previously appliedat second location 524 is reselected to be applied to third location528. This causes color generation module 224 to generate diffused colordata 226 in real time, which includes diffusing second color 526 (e.g.,green in the illustrated instance) from second location 524. In effect,second color 526 appears near location 528 with a concentration equal tothe green color applied in second location 524.

At the fifth stage 510, a third color 530 (blue in the illustratedinstance) is selected for application at a third location 528. Thiscauses color generation module 224 to again generate diffused color data226 in real time, which includes diffusing third color 530 (e.g., blue)from third location 528. As a result, the third color 530 appears withhighest concentration near third location 528 and varies in colorgradation as the color's diffusion approaches first location 520 andsecond location 524.

At the sixth stage 512, a fourth location 532 is specified with respectto the graphical element 516, and at the seventh stage 514, a fourthcolor 526 (e.g., purple) is selected to be applied to the fourthlocation, causing color generation module 224 to generate diffused colordata 226 in real time, which includes diffusion of fourth color 534 fromfourth location 532. As a result, fourth color 534 (purple in thisillustrated instance) appears with highest concentration near fourthlocation 532 and varies in color gradation as the color's diffusionapproaches second location 524 and third location 528. In this way, userinterface 208 supports efficient user interaction in real time in orderto facilitate diffusion of graphical elements containing compound pathswith intricate color combinations. As previously stated, conventionaltechniques were ineffective in diffusion graphical elements containingcompound paths, e.g. text, with intricate color combinations.

Returning to FIG. 2, after color generation module 224 generates colordiffused character data 226 by diffusing a graphical element with colorsat one or more identified locations, the character data is stored instorage device 228 of computing device 102. The diffused color data 226,as stored, may be leveraged by graphical element diffusion system 114 inways that are not possible using conventional techniques. In one suchexample, the diffused color data 226 is configured such that thegraphical element (e.g., text) remains “live.” A “live” graphicalelement is one that supports the editing of one or more graphicalelement properties associated with the graphical element. For instance,a live graphical element in the form of text permits modification oftext properties such as capitalization, small caps, font size, and soforth. This is not possible in conventional techniques, which generatean element as a static digital image. Changing any of the static digitalimage's property would require generating an entirely differentgraphical element.

In another example, the diffused color data 226 is employed by colordiffusion replication module 230 to replicate the diffused color,automatically and without user intervention, for other graphicalelements specified by a user. For example, after color diffusion of afirst graphical element is completed, as illustrated in FIGS. 5A-5Cabove, a second graphical element is diffused, automatically and withoutuser intervention, with colors based on the color location data andcolor identification data of a first graphical element. The technique ofautomatic replication of diffused color, as implemented by the colordiffusion replication module 230, includes mapping color diffusedcharacter data of a graphical element with respect to a boundary ofother graphical elements. Color diffused character data mapping can bedone using a variety of mapping techniques, including the rejectiontechnique, nearest compound path approximate technique, equi-distanttechnique, and machine learning technique.

FIG. 7 depicts an example implementation 700 in which color diffusionreplication module 230 diffuses, automatically and without userintervention, the color diffused character data 226 of a graphicalelement 702 on another graphical element 704. Graphical element 702 “A”may be configured to include diffused color as described in the previousexample to generate color diffused character data 228. After this,another user input may be received to select the second graphicalelement 704 (“E” in the illustrated instance) (block 306). From this,color diffusion replication module 230 diffuses, automatically andwithout user intervention, the color diffused character data 228 ofelement “A” onto element “E” (block 308). Finally, the diffused firstand second graphical elements are displayed (block 310) within the userinterface 208. Automatic diffusion, as implemented by color diffusionreplication module 230, may be implemented using a wide variety ofmapping techniques, an example of which is referred to as a rejectiontechnique, which is further described as follows.

FIG. 8 depicts an example implementation 800 of a rejection technique ofmapping applied to element “E,” based on the color diffused characterdata associated with element “A.” This implementation 800 is illustratedusing first and second stages 802 and 804. At the first stage 802, thecolor diffusion replication module 230 maps the color location data ofelement “A,” depicted in the form of small circular location markers806, 808, and 810, on the outline of element “E.” From this, the colordiffusion replication module then identifies color location dataassociated with markers 808 and 810 as being mapped outside the boundaryof element “E.”

At stage 804, color diffusion replication module diffuses colors at thelocations mapped within the boundary of element “E”—represented bymarkers 806 and 812, but not from locations “outside” of the boundary asidentified above, e.g., markers 808, 810. The colors diffused at markers806 and 812 mapped onto element “E” correspond to the colors that arediffused at the same location markers in element “A.” Specifically, asblue and yellow colors were the diffused at each of location markers 806and 812 within element “A,” these same colors are diffused at each ofmarkers 806 and 812 in element “E.” However, as location markers 808 and810 are identified as mapped outside element E's boundary, colordiffusion replication module 230 does not apply green and purple colorsat these locations. In other words, element “A” is diffused with yellow,green, blue, and purple colors, while element “E” is diffused solelywith yellow and blue colors. While the rejection method of mapping isdescribed in FIG. 8, other mapping techniques including nearest compoundpath approximation technique, equi-distant technique, and a machinelearning technique, any or all of which may be used by color diffusionreplication module 230 to automatically diffuse color diffused characterdata on graphical elements.

Per the nearest compound path approximation technique, each of thelocation markers that fall outside an element's boundary are mapped tothe nearest perpendicular distance within the element's boundary. In theequi-distant technique, the location markers from the first graphicalelement may be mapped within and along the boundaries of subsequentlyselected graphical elements such that each location marker is spaced anequal distance from all location markers within the elements. Finally, amachine learning methodology may be utilized, by which, user input andediting information related to a graphical element may be tracked,analyzed, stored, and used to train the text diffusion system to diffusesubsequently selected elements in accordance with a calculatedalgorithm.

FIG. 9 depicts an example implementation 900 in which a user can accessand change graphical element properties associated with variousgraphical elements using graphical element input module 202. In thisexample, graphical elements 902, 904, 906, 908, and 910 are rendered ina user interface 110. Each of these graphical elements include graphicalelement properties that are stored in storage device 228 of computingdevice 102. These properties can be accessed and changed by graphicalelement input module 202 before, during, and after color diffusion.Illustrated examples of graphical element properties 232 include fontfamily 912, font size 914, and baseline 916. Other examples of graphicalelement properties are also contemplated, including kerning. Font family912 is associated with the style of the graphical elements—namely adesign of the shapes and curves that form each of the graphicalelements. Font size 914 relates to length, width, and height of each ofthe elements, and baseline 916 refers to a virtual line upon which thebottommost portion of the graphical elements are displayed. Thebottommost portion may be adjustable such that the bottommost portionsof graphical elements may appear stretched and far away from the top ofthe elements or appear contracted and close to the top of the elements.Finally, kerning refers to adjusting the space between graphicalelements.

FIG. 10 depicts procedure 1000 in an example implementation of graphicalelement color diffusion techniques described above are implemented ongraphical elements, e.g. text, and at least one property associated withthe text is changed. In this way, text may be diffused with intricatecolor combinations and will remain “live,” before, during, and aftercolor diffusion. Initially, first color location data identifying afirst location with respect to text and first color identification dataassociating a first color with the first location of the text are bothreceived via user input 210, executed through user interface 208 of acomputing device (block 1002). As described above, identification of thefirst color location data and first color identification data isperformed by color input module 206.

The color location data 212 and color identification data 214 are thenpassed to a mesh generation module 220, which generates a mesh 222within a boundary of respective characters of the text and identifiesvertices at selection portions of the mesh. Thereafter, the first coloris diffused within the text, by color generation module 224, based onthe first identified location (block 1004). Color diffusion performed bycolor generation module 224 includes diffusion of colors within the textat the generated vertices of the triangle mesh according to a colorweighting calculation. The resulting color diffused character data 226of the text is stored in storage device 228 of computing device 102.

Additionally one or more text properties associated with the diffusedtext are also stored in storage device 228 (block 1006). Graphicalelement input module 202 may receive, via user interface 208, an inputfrom a user to change or more of these text properties (1008), andchange one or more of these text properties according to the receiveduser input (1010). A user may change text properties using a variety offeatures, including interacting with a tool bar displayed on userinterface 110 that contains one or more text properties as icons orentries within a “drop-down” menu and changing one or more of theseassociated text properties. A user, for instance, may select a letter oftext and desire to capitalize it. In response, the graphical elementdiffusion system 114 may remap the locations and colors to the graphicalelement having the changed text property (e.g., a capitalized letter) torender the text as having the diffused color (block 1012).

FIG. 11 depicts an example implementation 1100 in which text 1102 hasbeen diffused with color diffused character data 226 by the colordiffusion replication module 230, and at one or more text properties 232associated with the displayed text has been changed by graphical elementinput module 202. In this example, ten text items are included in userinterface 208. After text item 1102 (text “A” in the illustratedinstance) has been diffused with multiple colors as described above anddepicted in FIGS. 5A-5C, the color diffused character data of text item1102 is saved in storage device 228 of computing device 102. Thereafter,a user input is received by graphical element input module 202, whichgenerates text items 1104-1120, each of which are diffused by mappingthe color diffused character data of text item 1102.

Moreover, graphical element input module 202 may also receive furtherinput, by which capitalization of text items 1102-1120 is changed.Specifically text items 1102-1110 are capitalized and text items1112-1120 are not. In this way, graphical element diffusion system 114can be used to both diffuse text with intricate color combinations andchange at least one text property such that the text remains “live.” Assuch, graphical diffusion system 114 supports intricate color diffusionof live graphical elements, which is not possible using conventionaltechniques.

Example System and Device

FIG. 15 illustrates an example system generally at 1500 that includes anexample computing device 1502 that is representative of one or morecomputing systems and/or devices that may implement the varioustechniques described herein. This is illustrated through the inclusionof graphics rendering application 104. The computing device 1502 may be,for example, a server of a service provider, a device associated with aclient (e.g., a client device), an on-chip system, and/or any othersuitable computing device or computing system.

The example computing device 1502 as illustrated includes a processingsystem 1504, one or more computer-readable media 1506, and one or moreI/O interface 1508 that are communicatively coupled, one to another.Although not shown, the computing device 1502 may further include asystem bus or other data and command transfer system that couples thevarious components, one to another. A system bus can include any one orcombination of different bus structures, such as a memory bus or memorycontroller, a peripheral bus, a universal serial bus, and/or a processoror local bus that utilizes any of a variety of bus architectures. Avariety of other examples are also contemplated, such as control anddata lines.

The processing system 1504 is representative of functionality to performone or more operations using hardware. Accordingly, the processingsystem 1504 is illustrated as including hardware element 1510 that maybe configured as processors, functional blocks, and so forth. This mayinclude implementation in hardware as an application specific integratedcircuit or other logic device formed using one or more semiconductors.The hardware elements 1510 are not limited by the materials from whichthey are formed or the processing mechanisms employed therein. Forexample, processors may be comprised of semiconductor(s) and/ortransistors (e.g., electronic integrated circuits (ICs)). In such acontext, processor-executable instructions may beelectronically-executable instructions.

The computer-readable storage media 1506 is illustrated as includingmemory/storage 1512. The memory/storage 1512 represents memory/storagecapacity associated with one or more computer-readable media. Thememory/storage component 1512 may include volatile media (such as randomaccess memory (RAM)) and/or nonvolatile media (such as read only memory(ROM), Flash memory, optical disks, magnetic disks, and so forth). Thememory/storage component 1512 may include fixed media (e.g., RAM, ROM, afixed hard drive, and so on) as well as removable media (e.g., Flashmemory, a removable hard drive, an optical disc, and so forth). Thecomputer-readable media 1506 may be configured in a variety of otherways as further described below.

Input/output interface(s) 1508 are representative of functionality toallow a user to enter commands and information to computing device 1502,and also allow information to be presented to the user and/or othercomponents or devices using various input/output devices. Examples ofinput devices include a keyboard, a cursor control device (e.g., amouse), a microphone, a scanner, touch functionality (e.g., capacitiveor other sensors that are configured to detect physical touch), a camera(e.g., which may employ visible or non-visible wavelengths such asinfrared frequencies to recognize movement as gestures that do notinvolve touch), and so forth. Examples of output devices include adisplay device (e.g., a monitor or projector), speakers, a printer, anetwork card, tactile-response device, and so forth. Thus, the computingdevice 1502 may be configured in a variety of ways as further describedbelow to support user interaction.

Various techniques may be described herein in the general context ofsoftware, hardware elements, or program modules. Generally, such modulesinclude routines, programs, objects, elements, components, datastructures, and so forth that perform particular tasks or implementparticular abstract data types. The terms “module,” “functionality,” and“component” as used herein generally represent software, firmware,hardware, or a combination thereof. The features of the techniquesdescribed herein are platform-independent, meaning that the techniquesmay be implemented on a variety of commercial computing platforms havinga variety of processors.

An implementation of the described modules and techniques may be storedon or transmitted across some form of computer-readable media. Thecomputer-readable media may include a variety of media that may beaccessed by the computing device 1502. By way of example, and notlimitation, computer-readable media may include “computer-readablestorage media” and “computer-readable signal media.”

“Computer-readable storage media” may refer to media and/or devices thatenable persistent and/or non-transitory storage of information incontrast to mere signal transmission, carrier waves, or signals per se.Thus, computer-readable storage media refers to non-signal bearingmedia. The computer-readable storage media includes hardware such asvolatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media and/orstorage devices implemented in a method or technology suitable forstorage of information such as computer readable instructions, datastructures, program modules, logic elements/circuits, or other data.Examples of computer-readable storage media may include, but are notlimited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology,CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, harddisks, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or othermagnetic storage devices, or other storage device, tangible media, orarticle of manufacture suitable to store the desired information andwhich may be accessed by a computer.

“Computer-readable signal media” may refer to a signal-bearing mediumthat is configured to transmit instructions to the hardware of thecomputing device 1502, such as via a network. Signal media typically mayembody computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules,or other data in a modulated data signal, such as carrier waves, datasignals, or other transport mechanism. Signal media also include anyinformation delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means asignal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed insuch a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example,and not limitation, communication media include wired media such as awired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such asacoustic, RF, infrared, and other wireless media.

As previously described, hardware elements 1510 and computer-readablemedia 1206 are representative of modules, programmable device logicand/or fixed device logic implemented in a hardware form that may beemployed in some embodiments to implement at least some aspects of thetechniques described herein, such as to perform one or moreinstructions. Hardware may include components of an integrated circuitor on-chip system, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), afield-programmable gate array (FPGA), a complex programmable logicdevice (CPLD), and other implementations in silicon or other hardware.In this context, hardware may operate as a processing device thatperforms program tasks defined by instructions and/or logic embodied bythe hardware as well as a hardware utilized to store instructions forexecution, e.g., the computer-readable storage media describedpreviously.

Combinations of the foregoing may also be employed to implement varioustechniques described herein. Accordingly, software, hardware, orexecutable modules may be implemented as one or more instructions and/orlogic embodied on some form of computer-readable storage media and/or byone or more hardware elements 1510. The computing device 1502 may beconfigured to implement particular instructions and/or functionscorresponding to the software and/or hardware modules. Accordingly,implementation of a module that is executable by the computing device1202 as software may be achieved at least partially in hardware, e.g.,through use of computer-readable storage media and/or hardware elements1510 of the processing system 1504. The instructions and/or functionsmay be executable/operable by one or more articles of manufacture (forexample, one or more computing devices 1502 and/or processing systems1504) to implement techniques, modules, and examples described herein.

The techniques described herein may be supported by variousconfigurations of the computing device 1502 and are not limited to thespecific examples of the techniques described herein. This functionalitymay also be implemented all or in part through use of a distributedsystem, such as over a “cloud” 1514 via a platform 1516 as describedbelow.

The cloud 1514 includes and/or is representative of a platform 1516 forresources 1518. The platform 1516 abstracts underlying functionality ofhardware (e.g., servers) and software resources of the cloud 1514. Theresources 1518 may include applications and/or data that can be utilizedwhile computer processing is executed on servers that are remote fromthe computing device 1502. Resources 1518 can also include servicesprovided over the Internet and/or through a subscriber network, such asa cellular or Wi-Fi network.

The platform 1516 may abstract resources and functions to connect thecomputing device 1502 with other computing devices. The platform 1516may also serve to abstract scaling of resources to provide acorresponding level of scale to encountered demand for the resources1518 that are implemented via the platform 1516. Accordingly, in aninterconnected device embodiment, implementation of functionalitydescribed herein may be distributed throughout the system 1500. Forexample, the functionality may be implemented in part on the computingdevice 1502 as well as via the platform 1516 that abstracts thefunctionality of the cloud 1514.

Conclusion

The platform 1516 may abstract resources and functions to connect thecomputing device 1502 with other computing devices. The platform 1516may also serve to abstract scaling of resources to provide acorresponding level of scale to encountered demand for the resources1518 that are implemented via the platform 1516. Accordingly, in aninterconnected device embodiment, implementation of functionalitydescribed herein may be distributed throughout the system 1500. Forexample, the functionality may be implemented in part on the computingdevice 1502 as well as via the platform 1516 that abstracts thefunctionality of the cloud 1514.

The invention claimed is:
 1. In a digital medium graphical elementrendering environment, a method implemented by a computing device, themethod comprising: receiving, via a user interface of the computingdevice, first color location data identifying a first location within aboundary of a first graphical element and first color identificationdata of a first color; diffusing, by the computing device, the firstcolor within the first graphical element based on the first location;receiving, via the user interface of the computing device, second colorlocation data identifying a second location within the boundary of thefirst graphical element and second color identification data of a secondcolor; diffusing based on the second location, by the computing device,the second color within the first graphical element including thediffused first color; receiving, via the user interface of the computingdevice, a user input selecting a second graphical element; diffusing,automatically and without user intervention by the computing device, thefirst and second colors within the second graphical element based onmapping the first color location data and the second color location datawithin the boundary of the first graphical element with respect to aboundary of the second graphical element; displaying, in the userinterface by the computing device, the first and second graphicalelements as having the diffused first and second colors; receiving, viathe user interface of the computing device, an additional user inputselecting a third graphical element; diffusing, automatically andwithout user intervention by the computing device, the first color basedon the mapping of the first color location data with respect to thethird graphical element being within a boundary of the third graphicalelement and not diffusing the second color based on the mapping of thesecond color location data with respect to the third graphical elementbeing outside the boundary of the third graphical element; anddisplaying, in the user interface of the computing device, the thirdgraphical element as having the diffused first color and not thediffused second color.
 2. The method as described in claim 1, furthercomprising generating, by the computing device, a mesh within theboundary of the first graphical element based on the first colorlocation data, the first color identification data, the second colorlocation data, and the second color identification data, wherein thediffusing of the first and second colors within the first graphicalelement is based on the mesh.
 3. The method as described in claim 2,wherein generating the mesh within the boundary of the first graphicalelement includes creating vertices at predefined areas within theboundary of the first graphical element based on the identified firstand second locations.
 4. The method as described in claim 3, wherein thediffusing of the first and second colors within the first graphicalelement includes: calculating a color weighting based on the first andsecond locations within the boundary of the first graphical element; andapplying the first and second colors to the vertices at the predefinedareas within the boundary of the first graphical element according tothe color weighting.
 5. The method as described in claim 1, furthercomprising associating the first color with the first location withrespect to the first graphical element and the second color with thesecond location with respect to the first graphical element.
 6. Themethod as described in claim 1, wherein the first graphical element andthe second graphical element are text.
 7. The method as described inclaim 1, wherein the first and second locations are specified usingeither a point handle or a curve handle feature.
 8. The method asdescribed in claim 1, wherein the first color identification data andthe second color identification data are generated via user selectionsfrom a color spectrum in the user interface.
 9. The method as describedin claim 1, wherein the identified first and second colors are notapplied outside a boundary of the first graphical element.
 10. Themethod as described in claim 1, further including: storing a pluralityof graphical element properties associated with the first and secondgraphical elements, the graphical element properties including fontfamily, font size, kerning, or a baseline; and responsive to receipt ofa user input, changing at least one of the graphical element propertiesfor the first or second graphical elements having the diffused first andsecond colors.
 11. In a digital medium graphical element renderingenvironment, a system comprising: a processing system; and acomputer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereonthat, responsive to execution by the processing system, causes theprocessing system to perform operations including: receiving, via a userinterface, first color location data identifying a first location withina boundary of a first graphical element and first color identificationdata of a first color; diffusing the first color within the firstgraphical element based on the first location; receiving, via the userinterface, second color location data identifying a second locationwithin the boundary of the first graphical element and second coloridentification data of a second color; diffusing based on the secondlocation the second color within the first graphical element includingthe diffused first color; receiving, via the user interface, a userinput selecting a second graphical element; diffusing, automatically andwithout user intervention, the first and second colors within the secondgraphical element based on mapping the first color location data and thesecond color location data within the boundary of the first graphicalelement with respect to a boundary of the second graphical element;displaying, in the user interface, the first and second graphicalelements as having the diffused first and second colors; receiving, viathe user interface, an additional user input selecting a third graphicalelement; diffusing, automatically and without user intervention, thefirst color based on the mapping of the first color location data withrespect to the third graphical element being within a boundary of thethird graphical element and not diffusing the second color based on themapping of the second color location data with respect to the thirdgraphical element being outside the boundary of the third graphicalelement; and displaying, in the user interface, the third graphicalelement as having the diffused first color and not the diffused secondcolor.
 12. The system as described in claim 11, the operations furthercomprising generating a mesh within the boundary of the first graphicalelement based on the first color location data, the first coloridentification data, the second color location data, and the secondcolor identification data, wherein the diffusing of the first and secondcolors within the first graphical element is based on the mesh.
 13. Thesystem as described in claim 12, wherein generating the mesh within theboundary of the first graphical element includes creating vertices atpredefined areas within the boundary of the first graphical elementbased on the identified first and second locations.
 14. The system asdescribed in claim 13, wherein the diffusing of the first and secondcolors within the first graphical element includes: calculating a colorweighting based on the first and second locations within the boundary ofthe first graphical element; and applying the first and second colors tothe vertices at the predefined areas within the boundary of the firstgraphical element according to the color weighting.
 15. The system asdescribed in claim 11, the operations further comprising associating thefirst color with the first location with respect to the first graphicalelement and the second color with the second location with respect tothe first graphical element.
 16. The system as described in claim 11,wherein the first graphical element and the second graphical element aretext.
 17. The system as described in claim 11, wherein the first andsecond locations are specified using either a point handle or a curvehandle feature.
 18. The system as described in claim 11, wherein thefirst color identification data and the second color identification dataare generated via user selections from a color spectrum in the userinterface.
 19. The system as described in claim 11, wherein theidentified first and second colors are not applied outside a boundary ofthe first graphical element.
 20. One or more computer-readable storagemedium having instructions stored thereon that, responsive to executionby a processing system, causes the processing system to performoperations including: receiving, via a user interface, first colorlocation data identifying a first location within a boundary of a firstgraphical element and first color identification data of a first color;diffusing the first color within the first graphical element based onthe first location; receiving, via the user interface, second colorlocation data identifying a second location within the boundary of thefirst graphical element and second color identification data of a secondcolor; diffusing based on the second location the second color withinthe first graphical element including the diffused first color;receiving, via the user interface, a user input selecting a secondgraphical element; diffusing, automatically and without userintervention, the first and second colors within the second graphicalelement based on mapping the first color location data and the secondcolor location data within the boundary of the first graphical elementwith respect to a boundary of the second graphical element; displaying,in the user interface, the first and second graphical elements as havingthe diffused first and second colors; receiving, via the user interface,an additional user input selecting a third graphical element; diffusing,automatically and without user intervention, the first color based onthe mapping of the first color location data with respect to the thirdgraphical element being within a boundary of the third graphical elementand not diffusing the second color based on the mapping of the secondcolor location data with respect to the third graphical element beingoutside the boundary of the third graphical element; and displaying, inthe user interface, the third graphical element as having the diffusedfirst color and not the diffused second color.